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susan_sebastian

Quality door hardware

5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago

I want to replace all the door levers in my home. Can anyone suggest a quality brand? Back when I initially looked at hardware there was very little selection in the middling price range. They were inexpensive or exorbitantly priced. Emtek was in the middle but I won't even consider purchasing Emtek again after having the finish degrade in matter of months.

Comments (14)

  • 5 years ago

    Inox? Idk because I'm looking myself.

  • 5 years ago

    Rocky Mountain is in the high price category for many of their products, but they do offer a "builder series" now which is better priced. Their bronze builder series will run around $260 per door.


    Most of the hardware is a brass base with a metal-color coating.

    Choose bronze as the base metal if you don't want the finish to degrade.


    Another brand to consider is Ashley Norton. Their Bronze sets will run around $230

    Emtek also has a Bronze line.

  • 5 years ago

    I purchased an oil rubbed bronze Emtek when we built in 2013. Paid a lot for it too. It never worked properly. I ended up replacing it with a Schlage and my life is much easier now. I purchased the Emtek from build.com but they didn't show a record and so their was nothing they would do for me. Note: save your receipts somewhere you can find them.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    The oil rubbed bronze is just the color coating on a brass metal base.

    Supposedly the sets made out of Bronze metal have better latch mechanisms.

    I just happened to recently have been in a shop that sold a wide variety of door hardware and got a detailed lecture from the owner about the negatives and positives of different materials and brands!

  • 5 years ago

    Territheresa I approached the shop I bought our Emtek sets from and showed them pictures that showed the darker coating had rubbed off our oil rubbed bronze finish after a few months. She agreed that was not acceptable and contacted Emtek to replace them but they refused to do anything.

  • 5 years ago

    Chips, mark bischak thanks for your input, but RMH is a little out of reach for me.

  • 5 years ago

    "I approached the shop I bought our Emtek sets from and showed them pictures that showed the darker coating had rubbed off our oil rubbed bronze finish after a few months"


    Was it a true oil rubbed bronze or a PVDF finish dark bronze? Emtek makes both from my recollection.

  • 5 years ago

    Probably the second. It was moderately priced, not cheap like the stuff you find at the big box stores, but not the most expensive products.

  • 5 years ago

    I am a door hardware guru. :-)


    So many choices. I first highly recommend you go to a hardware specialist to see and try their products.


    Rocky Mountain Hardware and Baldwin are at the absolutely highest end, particularly RMH. Hold your breath if you get a quote for your house. Baldwin was solidly at the top end for many years but you start to see some complaints these days.


    The upper middle end is the absolute sweet spot in my opinion. Plenty of wonderful options here, including INOX which I have and love. Same quality as the top end but more affordable and less snobby.


    I would place Emtek in the lower middle end, only slightly above the crap at big box stores.


    Big box stores: All low end. Schlage residential is found here. Schlage commercial is a different story.

  • 5 years ago

    Here's a picture of my old Emtek. Bronze is heavy and so is this knob. I guess they fooled me. I wouldn't even care about the finish rubbing off if it just worked properly. I knew no one was going to pick the lock to break in because I couldn't even get in with the key! $#&^@*%[÷!

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Susan Sebastian. I am also looking to replace my 30 year old doorknobs. I looked at Emtek and was considering it. After reading your review I will stay away from Emtek. Now I will try to find another brand.

  • 5 years ago

    kculbers good choice!

  • 5 years ago

    territheresa at least ours work!

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